‘Commenting out’ a registry entry (XP (all))

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I’m probably not alone in occasionally deleting an entry from the registry, expecting that this will have the effect I’m trying to achieve. However, at the back of my mind I’m prepared to have to reinstate the entry if I’m wrong.

Is there any way I can “comment out” an entry so that reinstating it is made easier?

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I’ve heard people refer to renaming a value or key rather than deleting it. Just as long as the new name isn’t meaningful to Windows!!

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I think it would depend on the key whether you should rename the value name (the first part) or the value data (second part) — as in
ValueName REG_SZ ValueData

For example, in the HKLMSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun key, you can have anything you like as the ValueName; it is the ValueData (an executable path) that you’d need change to prevent it running.

I’ve changed
Fred REG_SZ C:SomeDirMabel.EXE
to
Fred REG_SZ ;C:SomeDirMabel.EXE
to prevent Mabel.EXE running.

Of course, in most keys whatevere piece of software you have would be searching for the ValueName , which I would change to ;ValueName to make it obvious to the human eye what’s been done, but wouldn’t be found on a search.

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I think it would depend on the key whether you should rename the value name (the first part) or the value data (second part) — as in
ValueName REG_SZ ValueData

For example, in the HKLMSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun key, you can have anything you like as the ValueName; it is the ValueData (an executable path) that you’d need change to prevent it running.

I’ve changed
Fred REG_SZ C:SomeDirMabel.EXE
to
Fred REG_SZ ;C:SomeDirMabel.EXE
to prevent Mabel.EXE running.

Of course, in most keys whatevere piece of software you have would be searching for the ValueName , which I would change to ;ValueName to make it obvious to the human eye what’s been done, but wouldn’t be found on a search.

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I don’t know if this info and program will help you do what you want or not. It helps me.

Backing Up and Restoring the Windows XP Registry

Registry Tuner

SMBP

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I don’t know if this info and program will help you do what you want or not. It helps me.

Backing Up and Restoring the Windows XP Registry

Registry Tuner

SMBP

Reply | Quote